2008.10.26 19:00 - Fallingwater, AstroNUTs and Fractal Spackle

Rowan Masala was the guardian for this discussion.

Rowan Masala: Hi Adelene
Rowan Masala: oh!
Adelene Dawner: Hi :)
Rowan Masala pets Adelene
Adelene Dawner: ^.^
Adelene Dawner actually needs to afk for just a minute.
Rowan Masala: ok
stevenaia Michinaga: hi
Rowan Masala: Hi Steven
stevenaia Michinaga: you the only one here?
Rowan Masala: no, Adelene is on my lap
Rowan Masala: but she's afk
stevenaia Michinaga: awwww, lucky... both of you
Adelene Dawner has returned.
J1mmy Weiland: hello, everyone
Rowan Masala: Hi Jimmy :)
Adelene Dawner: Hullo people! ^.^
J1mmy Weiland: hello, pema
Pema Pera: Hi Everybody!
Rowan Masala: Hi Pema!
J1mmy Weiland: how do you change sitting poses, again...?
stevenaia Michinaga: rezzing
Rowan Masala: click the cushion
J1mmy Weiland: ahh doh
J1mmy Weiland: thanks
stevenaia Michinaga: yes touch
Rowan Masala: yw :)
stevenaia Michinaga: you don;t like the girlie pose?
J1mmy Weiland: indeed not.
Rowan Masala: are you comfy, Adelene? I can change to the other pose if you like
Pema Pera: Is Adelene keeping your feet warm, Rowan :) ?
Adelene Dawner hmms, and ponders her choice of laps. Anyone particularly in need of a lion today?
Rowan Masala: nice and toasty
stevenaia Michinaga: hello pema, you going to be in NJ this week?
Rowan Masala: Oh, well, I'm happy with you here, but it's up to you
J1mmy Weiland: i have enough cats on my lap tonight
Pema Pera: yes, Steve
stevenaia Michinaga: I sent you a thank you
Rowan Masala grins
Adelene Dawner will stay put then :)
Rowan Masala: :)
stevenaia Michinaga: hello J1mmy, finally rezzed
stevenaia Michinaga: Pema, make me down as in agreement w/ Geo
stevenaia Michinaga: mark
Rowan Masala: agreement about what?
stevenaia Michinaga: gauadianship
Pema Pera: ah!
Pema Pera slowly understanding the context ... :)
Rowan Masala: Hi Kat :)
Pema Pera: Hi there Kat!
stevenaia Michinaga: right, you don't read those most interesting emails, Rowan
Kat Lemieux: Hi there!
Kat Lemieux: Sorry, waiting for everyone to rezz before I try to sit down
Rowan Masala: it's your job to tell me about them, Steven ;P
J1mmy Weiland: hello, kat
stevenaia Michinaga: oops
stevenaia Michinaga: hello kat, have you been here before?
Kat Lemieux: Yes, thanks
Pema Pera: many times, often in the wee hours :)
stevenaia Michinaga: ..smiles
Rowan Masala: does anyone have a particular discussion topic in mind for tonight?
Kat Lemieux: Most often in the wee hours
Kat Lemieux: Architecture
stevenaia Michinaga: ...smiles
Rowan Masala: oh... ok...
Rowan Masala: Being and architecture...?
J1mmy Weiland: Alan Greenspan
Kat Lemieux: I was at Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater house today, and it's definitely on my mind
Rowan Masala: tell us about what you've been thinking, Kat
Kat Lemieux: Well, Fallingwater is famous because it was one of the first residences built to be "integrated" into the landscape on purpose
Rowan Masala: Is everyone familiar with Fallingwater?
Rowan Masala nods
Adelene Dawner: I'm not
Kat Lemieux: It's not just a house, it's a statement of philosophy
Kat Lemieux: See http://www.fallingwater.org
stevenaia Michinaga: there has been much discussion of FLW use of fractals in his work and how they affect the perception of his work

http://zeta.math.utsa.edu/~yxk833/Neuroscience.pdf http://muse.jhu.edu/login?uri=/journals/leonardo/v039/39.3taylor.pdf

Adelene Dawner: thanks, Kat
Kat Lemieux: YW
Kat Lemieux: The house is in the Allegheny Mountains of SW Pennsylvania, south of Pittsburgh
Rowan Masala: fractals? really? I never thought of them in association with Wright
Rowan Masala: do you live near there, Kat?
J1mmy Weiland: weren't fractals discovered after FLW?
Kat Lemieux: Well, fractals might not have been identified when FLW was around
Kat Lemieux: No, we're just traveling in the area, Rowan
Rowan Masala nods
stevenaia Michinaga: how repetitive patterns in his work at various scale bring calm to the perceiver as this is a very ancient way humans perceive, like blades of grass in the savannah and leaves in the trees
Kat Lemieux: Fractals do occur in nature, of course, and many artists' work can be analysed to see them
Kat Lemieux: But I think it's more or less instinctive, not mathematically based when you find them in earlier artists' work
Rowan Masala: could we please take 9 seconds
stevenaia Michinaga: exactly
Rowan Masala: thank you
stevenaia Michinaga: it's not "I will do fractals" it's what works for the designer and placemaking
Adelene Dawner mrrs thoughtfully. "I'm not really 'here' and I don't think that's going to change, sorry, guys. I think my time will be better spent elsewhere."
Rowan Masala: ohh ok, Adelene
Adelene Dawner: Next time :)
Rowan Masala: are you alright?
Pema Pera: bye Adelene
J1mmy Weiland: spoken like a true feline, adelene
stevenaia Michinaga: but Rowan's cold feet??
Rowan Masala: I have tights on, I'll be ok
Rowan Masala: hi Neela
Adelene Dawner: Yeah, I'm ok, just life being itself. Not a good day for this kind of discussion, my mind's a bit closer to home. See you all next time.
Rowan Masala: welcome
Kat Lemieux: Maybe I can pull up a picture from Fallingwater in a few moments -- downloading 146 images from my camera now
Pema Pera: Good seeing you again, Neela!
Rowan Masala: take care, Adelene
Neela Blaisdale: You too Pema, hello everyone
Rowan Masala: Neela, we're talking about Frank Lloyd Wright's house "Fallingwater" and fractals
stevenaia Michinaga: neela a tigeress?
Rowan Masala: I think she's a snow leopard
Neela Blaisdale: Yes Rowan
Rowan Masala: so, you were saying something about the repetition of patterns on different scales as being calming
J1mmy Weiland: i'm reminded of Bach -- repetition of patterns on different scales, for a similar calming effect
Rowan Masala: hmm--interesting
stevenaia Michinaga: I understand and perahps Kat knows more about this than I as I hard it at a seminar, that astronuts were put in a waiting room with a particular wallpaper, not on purpose, but they found that they would be more relaxed in this room, and somehow they realized that it was a fractal based design that seems to have this calming affect
Rowan Masala: does that have the same effect in the vibrations, Jimmy?
stevenaia Michinaga: sorry, more relaxed
Pema Pera pondering astronuts :)
stevenaia Michinaga: perhaps a lower blood pressure affect or something
Kat Lemieux: I'm afraid I'm not familiar with that anecdote, but it sounds reasonable
stevenaia Michinaga: waiting for tests
Rowan Masala: I wonder how we might translate fractals into a meditation
stevenaia Michinaga: I willl look though this material
Kat Lemieux: ;-) <-- re: astronuts
J1mmy Weiland chuckles
stevenaia Michinaga: I thought it may be one of those tidbits you might be familiar with
J1mmy Weiland: one such astronut recently travelled to the ISS on a russian rocket
Kat Lemieux: Sorry, I'm more into information gathering than the information gatherers or facilitators when it comes to the space program
stevenaia Michinaga: I think it relates to humanity in a safe palce, in the grasses where danger can be perceived, not hidden
Rowan Masala is a little lost
J1mmy Weiland: space travel is definitely not for anxiety-ridden claustrophobes
stevenaia Michinaga: so seeing such pattern from 1000's of years ago should bring that calming effect of safety to our brains
stevenaia Michinaga: how it relates to meditations? shrugs
stevenaia Michinaga: sometimes fractal patterns are there and we don't see them, but feel them
Rowan Masala: so if there are visual fractals, and audible fractalish things (Bach), what other senses could detect fractals?
Neela Blaisdale: well meditation uses repetition a lot
Rowan Masala nods
J1mmy Weiland: wearing nothing but a wool coat... that might be sensory fractalism.
Neela Blaisdale: may not be actual fractuals but all meditation is repetitive
J1mmy Weiland: (or a hair shirt)
Rowan Masala: explain, Jimmy?
stevenaia Michinaga: looking, eyes unfocused could create the basis of fractal pattern, larger and smaller shapes of the same type
J1mmy Weiland: wool has a definite feel, ya know....
Rowan Masala nods
Rowan Masala: 9 seconds please
Rowan Masala: thank you
Rowan Masala: and how do you imagine that feel resembling a fractal?
Pema Pera: I think I'm going to get some sleep, have to get up early tomorrow.
stevenaia Michinaga: but I like the audible component as well
Rowan Masala: goodnight, Pema
Pema Pera: Good seeing y'all here!
J1mmy Weiland: likewise, pema
Neela Blaisdale: Bye Pema
stevenaia Michinaga: night pema
Pema Pera: night everybody!
Rowan Masala: enjoy your package from Steven, when it arrives
Kat Lemieux: Bye!
Neela Blaisdale: I must too, have a good night everyone
J1mmy Weiland: i was joking about the wool coat, but the same texture as felt on different parts of your skin will feel different
Rowan Masala: goodnight, Neela
Kat Lemieux: Goodnight!
stevenaia Michinaga: night Neela
J1mmy Weiland: and you are feeling all of them at the same time
Rowan Masala nods
J1mmy Weiland: i don't know if certain clothes have a calming effect...
Rowan Masala: I wonder if anyone has worked on the creation of tactile fractals
Kat Lemieux: I know my soft black sweater does for me
Rowan Masala: oh, lovely photo, Kat
Kat Lemieux: Thanks!
Rowan Masala: I have this long white cotton nightgown that calms me
Rowan Masala: the color, the white on white embroidery, the softness of the cotton
Rowan Masala: actually, white on white patterns in general calm me, I think
stevenaia Michinaga: I see a fashion show comming on
Rowan Masala: Most of my linens are white on white stripes
J1mmy Weiland: very nice photo! thank you, kat
Rowan Masala: I'm talking RL, Steven
Rowan Masala: my av doesn't have a long white cotton nightgown
Kat Lemieux: YW. That was just picked quickly out of I now see 147 photos I took today
Rowan Masala: wow
J1mmy Weiland: now that's another topic ... the calming effect of certain clothes in SL
Rowan Masala: you should make an SL booklet
Rowan Masala: ah, yes
Rowan Masala: we should all change into the outfits that make us feel calmest
Rowan Masala: and tell why
J1mmy Weiland: i like this outfit, but its a victorian era outfit.... and i always feel a bit silly if i wear it in certain areas
Kat Lemieux: What I'm wearing in SL tonight is definitely NOT calming. But when I tried to put something else on, my inventory was messed up. Database error
stevenaia Michinaga: I don't have a night shirt
Kat Lemieux: Good old SL
Rowan Masala: you have pajamas, Steven
J1mmy Weiland: but in a victorian sim, i am very comfortable in this
J1mmy Weiland: so i guess it depends on context.
Rowan Masala: and you're very comfortable in Victorian sims
Rowan Masala: so that's a kind of recursive comfort too
J1mmy Weiland: you look like you would be comfortable climbing the Alps, Steven :-)
Rowan Masala smiles
stevenaia Michinaga: hehe, I always say you can dress for the cold, but not for the heat
Kat Lemieux: One undresses for the heat where I come from
Rowan Masala smiles
stevenaia Michinaga: until there is not more to undress, jsut the heat
Kat Lemieux: Within reason, of course
Rowan Masala: well, I guess you could clothe yourself in the wind
Rowan Masala: that would help with heat
stevenaia Michinaga: the wind?
Rowan Masala nods
Rowan Masala: summon a breeze to wrap around you
Rowan Masala: just thinking of heat and cold
Rowan Masala: thought the cold breath might be fun :)
Kat Lemieux: Neat!
Rowan Masala: have you tried meditation at all today, since you were at Fallingwater?
Rowan Masala: I wondered what effect that experience might have had
Kat Lemieux: No, we just got back.
Rowan Masala: 9 seconds, please
Rowan Masala: thank you
stevenaia Michinaga: hmm, has a vision of gothic cathedrals.. the patterning of the glass and arches
stevenaia Michinaga: thinking of FLW
Kat Lemieux: Definitely designed to fascilitate meditation!
Rowan Masala: oh, cathedrals make me very uncomfortable
Rowan Masala: churches too
Kat Lemieux: Some of FLW's famous works were stained glass windows
Kat Lemieux: It's probably not the architecture that does it, Rowan
Kat Lemieux: ;-)
Rowan Masala: lol
Rowan Masala: maybe not
Rowan Masala: I made a stained glass piece once
stevenaia Michinaga: yes,and the patterns were embedded there
Rowan Masala: I love the soldering part
Kat Lemieux: Although large churches and cathedrals are a bit intimidating
Kat Lemieux: I've never made stained glass, but often wanted to
Rowan Masala: oh, you should try it
Rowan Masala: I should try it again myself
Rowan Masala: that was 20 years ago
Kat Lemieux: Fallingwater at least from the outside (we didn't tour the house interior) doesn't seem to have much stained glass
stevenaia Michinaga: is there anything in particular about architecture you would like to discuss?
Kat Lemieux: I think it was his later houses, Taliesen and Holly Oak House (?) that had that
stevenaia Michinaga: I seemed to get wrapped up in FLW and fractals
Rowan Masala: I would think he wouldn't want to obscure the view with stained glass in Fallingwater
Kat Lemieux: Well, I just thought that architecture has something in common with meditation -- it can be used to facilitate soothing thoughts -- or not
Rowan Masala: yes!
Rowan Masala: I attended a session on Feng Shui at a conference on Thursday
Rowan Masala: interesting stuff
Kat Lemieux: Yes Steve, Fallingwater is in such a beautiful setting, anything that comes between the inhabitant and the outdoors is superfluous
J1mmy Weiland: ha... the theories they spin in feng shui..... it reminds me of Norm the interior decorator in "Cheers"
stevenaia Michinaga: I find the design process is a meditation
Kat Lemieux: I agree, Steve
Rowan Masala: Norm was an interior decorator??
stevenaia Michinaga: an accountant
Kat Lemieux: Well, but the fundamental principles of Feng Shui do seem to hold true, and can be seen in many art forms and schools
J1mmy Weiland: yeah, he got mistaken for a high-priced decorator and tried to carry it as far as he could
Kat Lemieux: ;-)
Rowan Masala: lol
stevenaia Michinaga: I was trying to explain when the guardians met in Princton last week that the images created through drawing were a meditation process
Rowan Masala: well, I have no idea whether the FengShui principles really work, but I know that certain settings make me far more productive than others
J1mmy Weiland: there was one line -- "I dunno, maybe it needs some spackle?"
Rowan Masala laughs
Kat Lemieux: Are you in Princeton, too, Steve?
stevenaia Michinaga: I;m about 70 minutes away in Pa
Kat Lemieux: Cool!
stevenaia Michinaga: but was there last weekend with 12 other guardians
Kat Lemieux tries to envision spackling Fallingwater
stevenaia Michinaga: did you see the drawigns on the PaB website?
Kat Lemieux: vandalism!
J1mmy Weiland: i'm sure it was done with fractal spackle
Rowan Masala: ROFL!
stevenaia Michinaga: lol
Kat Lemieux: love it!! Fractal Spackle!
Kat Lemieux: No, haven't been to the website lately
stevenaia Michinaga: comes with cracks
Rowan Masala: I think I'm gonna have to fractal spackle my bedroom now
Kat Lemieux: ;-)
Rowan Masala: or maybe my office at work
Rowan Masala: need to do something there
stevenaia Michinaga: http://playasbeing.wik.is/Informatio...7_-_19_October
J1mmy Weiland: my wife and i rearranged our bedroom a couple months ago
J1mmy Weiland: moved the bed to a different spot --
Rowan Masala: did you fengshui it?
J1mmy Weiland: much better now.....
stevenaia Michinaga: the group images we drew are at the bottom
J1mmy Weiland: nah, i just sorta made it up as i went along
Rowan Masala smiles
J1mmy Weiland: but now we have more privacy when the door is ajar
Kat Lemieux: Cute!
Rowan Masala nods
Rowan Masala: and how do that cats like the new arrangement?
Kat Lemieux: Cats hate it when ANYTHIG changes
Rowan Masala nods
J1mmy Weiland: yes! one cat was very confused when she tried to crawl under the bed
Rowan Masala: poor kitty
Rowan Masala: 9 seconds please
Rowan Masala: thank you
Rowan Masala: I need to go. Would someone else like to continue the chat log or shall we cut it off here?
stevenaia Michinaga: I must go, good seeing you all
stevenaia Michinaga: yes
stevenaia Michinaga: night
Rowan Masala: goodnight all
Kat Lemieux: Bye! I need to go, too
Rowan Masala: be well
J1mmy Weiland: thank you, rowan :)
Kat Lemieux: 'Night, all!
J1mmy Weiland: good night, kat
J1mmy Weiland: have a good evening, see you next time
Rowan Masala: you too, Jimmy